In a paper published recently by the Western Cape Government they recommend; “In the long term, it is better to invest in battery back-up or solar and battery back-up, rather than investing in a generator,” says Alan Straton from Straton Solar.
This option of how to beat load shedding does come with additional compliance requirements.
If the premises has a traditional credit meter installed then it can be used immediately, whilst a grid tied system may not be switched on if there is a prepaid meter on the premises for two reasons:
- The prepaid meter will trip if the consumption is reversed and
- a Smart Meter must be installed by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
If your battery system (including inverter) is interconnected with the wiring of your house, it must be declared via the municipality’s Small-Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) process to confirm that EITHER it is operating safely as an off-grid system OR it is compliant and authorised as a grid-tied system (usually in conjunction with Photovoltaics [PV]). It is advisable to use an approved inverter and have it installed by a qualified person.The size of the battery system will depend on the equipment to be powered during load shedding.
A qualified electrician can install the battery and connect it to certain circuits, so that only some items are powered during load shedding
If any changes need to be made to your electrical system, make sure that a qualified engineer/electrician installs the system. Please note, grid-tied solar PV systems will shut-off during load shedding as a safety mechanism.In the long term, it is better to invest in battery back-up or solar and battery back-up, rather than investing in a generator.
Although a generator may cost less initially, it requires petrol or diesel to operate, creates air and noise pollution and the cost of fuel is also likely to increase as the demand for diesel increases. Remember that you may not have more than 20 litres of fuel for your generator on your premises. This fuel should be locked and bunded in a separate area and you must have a fire extinguisher of at least 4.5 kg on the premises.
All grid-connected solar PV systems need to be authorised by your municipality prior to installation. Connecting without approval is illegal and dangerous as it could compromise the safety of those in the building, the grid and those working on the grid. The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality allows grid-connected systems.
Off-grid systems must also be registered and declared so that it can be verified that they are not connected to the grid and so they are not mistaken for grid-tied systems.
If your battery system is a standalone appliance that you plug devices into, there are no compliance issues.
Western Cape Paper: How to Beat Load Shedding